So why is that?

More than likely it’s from a change in environment…getting out of the house, seeing new sites and meeting new people is a guaranteed spirit lifter. A place like Julia’s that is incredibly cozy and filled with the aroma of freshly brewed, organic coffee is nurturing and soothes the weary soul…a definite plus for job seekers.
 
Any thing new jump starts your creative juices, provides inspiration and opens wide the doors of imagination. A change in location or routine frees your mind. Those every day problems you diligently drag around can look quite different when seen from another vantage point. Lots of times we get stuck in patterns without realizing it. Changing things up in one part of your life can lead to more positive change. 

At home, it’s easy to be distracted, and staying on task can be a challenge…okay…it can be almost impossible some days! There’s often something vying for your attention: TV, a honey-do list, family, or checking email for the 10th time! Going somewhere like a coffee shop keeps you glued to your chair, focused and you’ll get more work done in less time.
 
The number one reason for getting out of the house is seeing other people! Being unemployed can leave you feeling isolated and lonely. The positive energy of an upbeat place is contagious. You feel more alive being around people talking, laughing, and enjoying the moment. Plus, you never know what connections you might make like stumbling upon a job lead…that would definitely venturing away from home worthwhile.

Getting out of the house can help you get more done, and in more ways than you might think. Simply being in a vibrant environment, soaking up some good vibes, and swapping smiles will re-energize you and jump start creativity. Both are a big plus in your job search. You’ll feel good all day and be proud of what you got accomplished. And all of this for the price of a cup of coffee or glass of iced tea. What a deal!

Now is the perfect time to Let Your Best Self Shine!

If you want to thoroughly investigate a company as a possible employer, you best brush up on your detective skills. It takes time and some clever search techniques to find out the inside scoop.

Thanks to Glassdoor much of the legwork is already done. It’s a free career site where “anyone can find and anonymously share an inside look at jobs and companies.”  Their data base covers over 84,000 companies. Information is gathered from current and former employees and companies can submit photos, videos, and other “come work for us” information.

To help you ace your next interview, there is a section of frequently asked interview questions sent in from interview candidates. Talk about having some relevant inside information.  Get mentally and emotionally prepared using some of my favorite techniques like setting clear intentions, visualization, affirmations, and deep breathing and you’re very best of who you are will be obvious to your interviewers.

Glassdoor was started by Robert Hohman and Rich Barton. They are masters of creativity, social media and information systems. Barton founded Expedia where they worked together as well as for Microsoft.

Best Features:

Check out the latest salaries by industry, company or job title.

Company reviews come from insiders and include the pros and cons, employee satisfaction ratings, and CEO approval ratings.

Read details about a company’s hiring process from job interview candidates

Check out Glassdoor’s top 50 places to work in 2010. The current top 4 companies to work for are Southwest Airlines, Mary Kay, Facebook, and Slalom Consulting.

I hope this makes your job search a little easier now that you don’t have to be a full time detective. So polish up your resume, get out there, and see what new doors you can open with Glassdoor and by Letting Your Best Self Shine!

At my church when the pastor asks for joys and concerns, folks speak right up! We celebrate milestones like baby’s first steps, our new bilingual school, birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations. We lament illnesses, deaths, job losses, disasters, war and the plight of the hungry and homeless. It’s okay to share what ever is on your heart.

Yesterday, two situations yielded prayer requests that caused me to pause and reflect on our need for prayer and our willingness to ask for prayer.

One member stopped at a coffee shop on her way to church. The young woman who served up the latté asked if she was going to church and if so, would she pray for her. Like so many folks who work on Sunday, the coffee shop employee misses the fellowship of a faith community, and fortunately, felt led to express her need for prayer.

The other person needing prayer was a down-on-his luck stranger with end stage cancer. He happened upon our church steps and shared his story with a member before services. During joys and concerns, she asked for prayers for him and expressed her regret for not urging him to join us for worship.

To everyone’s surprise, he stood to say he had felt welcomed. In a tearful voice he asked for prayers to be able to return home, some 12 hours drive north, to die in peace.

Both requests pulled on my heartstrings in a big way. I thought about how many people feel the need for prayers and don’t have anyone to ask or don’t feel comfortable asking for prayers. There are lots of job seekers and their families in that situation…who carry so many burdens and can use a prayer.

Whether you have a faith tradition or not, you’re always in my prayers. Here’s a special prayer for you today. It’s for hope, endurance and encouragement and comes to you from my heart.

Creator, you must hear so many prayers from job seekers and their loved one. Prayers for help finding a job, for making ends meet, for guidance as to which way to turn. I pray you will surround each person looking for work with the assurance they aren’t alone, that You and others care about them, and that even in the dark days, better times will come. Give them hope when they feel they’ve exhausted all their resources, and open new paths when doors seem to be shut tight. May they be greeted in interviews by kind caring people who see the best in them and place them in jobs that will use their talents and skills. For families, lift the burdensome worries from parents, and help children to know above all else they are loved. Help our national leaders to look beyond their personal comfort and agendas, and govern in a way that is for our people’s highest good. Hear the prayer of the one reading this and grant them your grace and mercy. For peace, comfort, compassion, hope and abundance, I pray for all who search for jobs. Shalom and amen. 

It’s a perfect time to Let Your Best Self Shine!

Job Seeker In Hammock

If you’re unemployed, every week can be trying but this week has pushed a lot of folks to the emotional limits. Maybe you’re feeling it, too.

For the 99’ers, those who have been without a job for almost 2 years, anxiety is maxing out.  Congress decided to take their July 4th vacation but couldn’t decide to vote “yes” to extend unemployment benefits.  This left millions of unemployed folks dangling above a safety net that is rapidly tearing   apart as the holes get bigger and bigger. 

And there seemed to a contest among a few politicians to see who could say the nastiest, most defeating, demoralizing comments about the unemployed. Let’s see…job seekers have been called lazy, spoiled, welfare wanna be’s, who likely use drugs and enjoy the good life those whopping unemployment checks provide.

Ummmm….can it be decisions makers are out of touch with the reality of life on the unemployment roller coaster?  

This isn’t the job seekers I know. Folks I meet want with all their hearts to go back to work, be productive, and earn a sustainable income. They are resilient. Still out there after all this time diligently searching for work. They’re creative, flexible, and adaptable. Managing as best they can to make life work with what they have. They’re learning new skills and volunteering countless hours to make their communities better. Their values have changed and they know what matters most is love, family, friends, and faith.

Probably 99 % of the job seekers out there are good people who, through no fault of their own, got booted from jobs they liked, and now are giving it their best to move forward.

Supposedly, on Tuesday the Senate will take another run at getting unemployment benefits extended through November.  Can we all say: “Just Do It!”

So what can you do?
• Contact your representatives in Congress
• Tell them your story and why job seekers need this extension
• Give them some context of what it’s like to be unable to find a job
• Be empowered to stand up for yourself and others 
• Believe in yourself, envision your future and never give up
• If you’re of the praying persuasion, lift up some prayers and amen’s

If you’re a job seeker, you’re not spoiled or lazy or lavished with luxury. You are successful whether you have a job or not just because of who you are! So, Let Your Best Self Shine and let your voice be heard!

For the past few days my mental billboard has been cluttered with negative thoughts like dummy, stupid, and you’re not as tech savvy as a 1st grader. My numerous attempts to upload my book in digital format on Amazon led to feelings of failure and a major case of frustration.

So, this morning I knew it was time to be gear up with some positive affirmations like “I trust myself to press    the right key,” or “I’m curious about all this fun new technology.”

The thing about affirmations is the message needs to be something that you totally embrace and believe. Unless it resonates with you, your brain will kick in saying, “Hey, that’s not true,” and you’ll feel worse rather than better.  To make affirmations work, start with what feels true and expand your beliefs little by little just past your comfort zone.

If you’re familiar with the Abraham teachings and Law of Attraction, they recommend this simple, fun practice for using affirmations to feel great about yourself and raise your energy vibrations. Here’s my take on lighting up your mental billboard with powerful positive thoughts.

Get comfortable, take a few deep breathes, and put a little smile on your face which will likely make you feel better almost immediately. Here’s your fill in the blank affirmation:  I am ___.  For example, I am ambitious. Starting with the letter “A”, go through the alphabet filling in the blank with a word to describe you. I am abundant…I am brave…all the way to I am zany!

My suggestion is to try this twice a day for a week. Every time stretch for more empowering words that you believe about yourself. Soon your mental bill board of positive thoughts will light up with brilliant mega wattage! Think about who you are but more than that feel how good it is to be you!  Bask in these positive affirmations! Soak them in and believe in yourself! 

This is a great way to celebrate yourself and increase your positive thoughts about yourself. The hardest part is figuring out words that start with those weird letters at the end of the alphabet. If you come up with some really creative words, how about sharing them with the rest of us?

Let’s light up our mental billboards and make ‘em shine!

P.S.  I think my neighbor’s first grader is coming by to give me a few tech tips. He wants to design the first wifi system for Mars! 

As always…now is the perfect time to Let Your Best Self Shine!

There are a lot of things I miss about not having a job besides a paycheck. I miss the sense of belonging, being valued, having my ego boosted from time to time, taking pride in my achievements, building my career, and knowing I have made a contribution toward the good of others. When you are working alone from home to find a job, there’s no one there to pat you on the back and validate your efforts. Now that you’re the Career Explorations Officer or CEO for your job search, it’s important to feel positive about your self and your hard work. Whether you’ve been a job seeker for a few weeks or you’re a veteran, it’s time to applaud your own endeavors.

You probably think your job search isn’t successful because you haven’t landed a new job. You incorporate the same work ethic, multiple skills, and inner strengths you relied on at your former workplace into your employment search. Think of all the time, energy, ingenuity, and creativity…not to mention blood, sweat, and tears that go into your job search. It’s incredible! If this project was part of your job assignment, you’d feel pretty darn successful about all you’ve done! This is no different, well, except maybe for the paycheck part!

You can take pride and find satisfaction in your job search efforts. When you truly appreciate and value yourself, you strengthen your self-confidence. A renewed awareness of the skills and effort that go into finding a job, give you a boost to better promote yourself through networking and in job interviews. You’ll be encouraged and motivated to carry on, even if you’ve been in-between jobs for a while.

So, go ahead, sing your own praises! Put your hands together and give yourself a rousing round of applause! You deserve it! It’s time to celebrate you, and everything you’re doing to find a job in some incredibly challenging times!

What kind of mood are you in right now? Excited about a job prospect? Grateful it’s a beautiful day? Pissed because someone didn’t return your call? Frustrated with the whole application process? The thing about riding on the unemployment roller coaster is that your emotions get tossed all over the place; often within a short amount of time.

One of the quickest ways to change your mood is with music. It’s like resetting the thermostat at home. If you’re down in the dumps listening to a country song about your honey driving off in your pick up truck with your best friend sure as heck won’t put a smile on your face…unless of course, you know the gas tank is on empty! If instead you check out You Tube and listen to something that makes you want to sing along, even if it’s off key, you’re more likely to let go of what’s bothering you.

If you’re preparing for a job interview, music can do anything from calm your fidgeting nerves to pump you up! It’s your choice depending on where you want to re-set your emotional thermostat. When I go into power mode wanting to come from a place of high energy like for an interview or before I speak at an event, I usually listen to Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus with the volume cranked all the way up! I literally feel my energy start to rise.

So, how about it? If you wanna Let Your Best Self Shine, let me introduce you to Laura Izibor. It’s like this 22 year old songwriter from Dublin, Ireland wrote her song Shine just for unemployed folks who need to add a little spring in their step. When you feel like the world is passing you by and life’s one big compromise, you know that there’s got to be something more.

I hope you enjoy Shine as much as I do! It’s sure to make you feel better whether you need to put some shine in your dreary day or you’re already shining and you want to glow like the sun!

 ”Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets: Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. ”

                                                   – W.H. Murray, The Scottish Himalayan Expedition

People ask why it took me 15 months of being unemployed to start my business. For a life coach that seems like a fair  question. There are many long answers to this question. The process of healing and spiritual growth simply takes time. I continued to believe a job offer was right around the next corner. I didn’t know what I wanted to be “when I grew up”.

I tossed around a lot of ideas for businesses and for a few months worked with an excellent coach but I couldn’t make up my mind. I dropped out of my coaching group because a vision for my future was so muddled.

At some point, I stopped whining and wandering, and made a decision to reinvent my professional life. I made the commitment to become an entrepreneur. The first things on my agenda were to make a “failure is not an option” plan, start working with my business coach again, and finish writing my book, Surviving The Unemployment Roller Coaster: From Stress To Success.

The short answer to why it took me so long to start my business is I wasn’t committed. Once I boldly said “yes” to my dreams, everything…my beliefs, desires, expectations, attitude, creativity shifted and opportunities opened up. Each morning I mentally and emotionally recommit to take care of myself, create and be open to all the possibilities for my business, and Let My Best Self Shine in everything I do.

Life tosses out nasty curves without warning signs, potholes deep enough hit the earth’s inner core, and unexpected detours that take you the long, long way around. Most of us aren’t thrilled to find ourselves on the overcrowded unemployment expressway but here we are. We can think of it as a hellish road trip or enjoy the adventure as much as possible and see what we can learn. Here are a few of my favorite take aways from my job search.

There are worse things in life than being unemployed.

When you lose your job family, friends, and colleagues do care about you but they are busy. They have stuff going on in their own lives. You’re not front and center on their radar and simply don’t take the time to check on you.

Cooking at home is healthy, delicious, and cheap; and leftovers are free!

Speaking of free…I love things that are free! Free samples, free coupons, free events, free downloads, even buy one get one free. I despise those infomercial free systems that teach you how to make oodles of money at home with just your computer and some time. The CD is free but it’s impossible to stop them from charging your credit card $79.99 every month shipping and handling charges.

There are some incredibly kind, generous and ethical people in the world like an orthodontist who accepted the insurance payment for my root canal and didn’t bill me for the co-pay; a yoga teacher who graciously allowed me to attend her classes for half price; a friend of a friend who fixed my car and let me pay my bill in monthly installments; and neighbors who left big bags of fresh veggies at my door all summer long.

Asking for help comes out of strength not weakness, and when asked, most people are delighted to grant you a random act of kindness and lend a helping hand.

Put out a call to your village. Back in the day the whole community came together to build a neighbor’s barn. In the same way it takes a network to find a job and you want to cast your search net wide by thinking beyond what you’ve always done for work. Go deep in your past and contact previous bosses, colleagues, clients, professors, college friends, people whose work you admired, and mentors. Be bold! Contact people you don’t know and ask if they can spare time to talk with you about their industry.  

The easiest way to start making a difference in the world is by smiling! Yep, just flash those pearly whites and say hello! At one of my really low points I made it my mission to speak to strangers in the grocery store. Lots of them looked even more sad and worried than I was…like the ones buying groceries for 3 or 4 kids and older folks. So, I smiled at them, and whether it made a difference to them or not, I’ll never know but I felt so much better. Now it’s the most natural thing in the world for me to do wherever I go!

Life is too short and anger is too annoying to carry it around for very long. Anger woke me up at night and badgered me all day long until I chose to let go of it. Being angry hurts you way more than the person or situation you’re pissed at. Learn to forgive, let it go, and move on!

You can be unemployed and still enjoy life! Actually, this is a great time to do things you’ve never had time to do! You might not be able to do all the things you want…like my dream of spending 2 weeks in Tuscany just isn’t going to happen right now, but I watch everything about Italy that comes on the Travel Channel or Food Network. And I’ve watched Under The Tuscan Sun so many times I know the good lines by heart!

You’re the same person with or without a job. What counts is who you are at the core of your being. Oprah says if you’re a poor jerk and one day you make millions of dollars, you simply become a rich jerk. So, it’s not about what you have but how you chose to live your life. You were more than the job title and money you used to make and you’re certainly way more than an unemployed person or statistic. Celebrate who you are!

I recently gave the graduation address at the Community Culinary School of Charlotte, a training program for chronically unemployed adults.  To watch this video, click here.